Roll out the red carpet, Syracuse. Sound the horns. Fly the banners.
Royalty is headed our way.
Legendary blues guitarist B.B. King will headline the 32nd Annual M&T Syracuse Jazz Fest at Onondaga Community College this summer. The 88-year-old bluesman will close the festival on Saturday, July 12 at 9:30 p.m.
"King is one of the five most-recognizable entertainers in the world and someone who everyone knows and loves," said Jazz Fest executive producer Frank Malfitano. "He's beloved, true American musical royalty, and one of the greatest blues guitarists and vocalists who ever lived."
The 2014 Syracuse Jazz Fest takes place Friday, July 11 and Saturday, July 12 at OCC. The festival is free and open to the public.
King joins a long list of legendary past Jazz Fest headliners, including Ray Charles, Aretha Franklin and Dave Brubeck.
In addition to King, the young brass player Trombone Shorty will headline Friday night's festivities with his band Orleans Avenue, following an early evening set by swing band Big Bad Voodoo Daddy.
New Orleans brass player Trombone Shorty headlines Friday night at the 2014 Syracuse Jazz Fest
King's Saturday set will be preceded by two eclectic traveling artists. Moscow's State Jazz Orchestra -- an 18-piece big band from Russia -- will perform with jazz saxophonist Igor Butman and vocalist Fantine. Raul Midon -- a one-man band comprised of Midon's guitar, vocals, beat boxing and trumpet impersonations -- will also perform Saturday night.
As in previous years, the 2014 Jazz Fest will highlight some of Syracuse's best homegrown talent. The local lineup includes two of Syracuse's brightest young singers: Julia Goodwin and Nick Ziobro. Additionally, Mark Doyle's bluesy group Guitar Noir will perform.
The 2014 festival also includes several changes from recent years.
Last year's festival spanned three days over a scorching hot and sometimes rainy July 4th weekend. While the festival set attendance records with a massive turnout for the Thursday night Doobie Brothers performance, attendance trailed off by the festival's closer, Taylor Dayne, on Saturday night.
This year, Jazz Fest scaled back to two days and avoided the holiday weekend. The 2014 lineup is a densely packed assault of powerhouse blues, brassy funk and, of course, soulful jazz, crammed into a two-day weekend.
"We'd rather do two packed days and not dilute the money," Malfitano said of the change during a press conference Tuesday. "We listened to the fans and the fans vote with their feet."
In addition to the main stage entertainment, Jazz Fest will feature plenty of local food, wine, "hipster food trucks" and the enduring educational portion of the weekend.
"We're doing away with the 'carnie' look for a hip, younger look," Malfitano said. "We've got top-level entertainment. We've got food trucks and local craft beer."
Details for the educational workshops and classes have not yet been released. In previous years, artists have hosted small, free workshops for music students and interested members of the public.
Friday, July 11
- 5:30 p.m. - Julia Goodwin
- 6:30 p.m. - Mark Doyle's Guitar Noir
- 8 p.m. - Big Bad Voodoo Daddy
- 9:30 p.m. - Trombone Shorty & Orleans Avenue
Saturday, July 12
- 5 p.m. - Nick Ziobro
- 6:30 p.m. - Igor Butman & the Moscow State Jazz Orchestra feat. Vocalist Fantine
- 8 p.m. - Raul Midon
- 9:30 p.m. - B.B. King & the B.B. King Orchestra
- Festival Close - Price Chopper fireworks display